Anonymous
Post 12/09/2025 14:42     Subject: Has anyone been unhappy with Gonzaga?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Don’t like how the boys are shirtless at football games when it’s cold outside.


Rival schools call that a "White Out" whenever they play Gonzaga.




and it's a tradition. Gonzaga has many!


It’s still a white out. Some traditions should end when in the light they are seen to be less than positive .

I wish they would get rid of the cigars at Graduation.
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2025 14:26     Subject: Has anyone been unhappy with Gonzaga?
SOURCE: trust me bro
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2025 14:08     Subject: Re:Has anyone been unhappy with Gonzaga?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:A friend’s son goes there and I have heard some negative things about the “cult” like atmosphere at GZ. Most parents are “all in” and actively shower the school with nothing but praise and love. A sense of superiority is cultivated in students from day one. Some spin this as creating a strong brotherhood, but for others it is a bit much. There are parents who want a strong Catholic education for their sons but who don’t want to drink the kool aid. I’ve also heard about horrible sportsmanship shown by some of GZ’s teams, which is not embraced by all parents.



Last year a Gonzaga boy was arrested with brass knuckles and a pellet gun on his way to a SJC football game. Every year the students vandalize other schools in the name of "school spirit"


I've been to multiple lacrosse and football games, both home and away, over the past four years and have heard nothing about GZ students acting out and/or vandalizing host schools, nor have my sons mentioned anything, nor have we parents gotten communications from the school regarding behavior at sports events. I've attended double digit events in small stadiums where obnoxious behavior would've been noticed easily and I've personally seen nothing that would track with what you're saying.

Not saying none of this happened, but I'm definitely leaning towards "you're making sh*t up" POV here.


Yiu are lying

My nephew is a star on that team and yes it happened and my SIL pulled her younger ones because of the schools crappy response
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2025 14:06     Subject: Has anyone been unhappy with Gonzaga?
Anonymous wrote:Reading this board, it seems everyone absolutely loves loves Gonzaga.

DS will apply next year, but just curious if anyone has had a less than stellar experience? It’s weird to me there’s essentially nothing negative written about the school on here ever. No school is perfect?!

Are there some kids who don’t do well/like it? I have heard the homework is intense


Yep my neighbor just pulled her three boys back to public because math was abysmal and when she looked at college acceptances she freaked out.
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2025 14:04     Subject: Re:Has anyone been unhappy with Gonzaga?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:A friend’s son goes there and I have heard some negative things about the “cult” like atmosphere at GZ. Most parents are “all in” and actively shower the school with nothing but praise and love. A sense of superiority is cultivated in students from day one. Some spin this as creating a strong brotherhood, but for others it is a bit much. There are parents who want a strong Catholic education for their sons but who don’t want to drink the kool aid. I’ve also heard about horrible sportsmanship shown by some of GZ’s teams, which is not embraced by all parents.



Last year a Gonzaga boy was arrested with brass knuckles and a pellet gun on his way to a SJC football game. Every year the students vandalize other schools in the name of "school spirit"


I've been to multiple lacrosse and football games, both home and away, over the past four years and have heard nothing about GZ students acting out and/or vandalizing host schools, nor have my sons mentioned anything, nor have we parents gotten communications from the school regarding behavior at sports events. I've attended double digit events in small stadiums where obnoxious behavior would've been noticed easily and I've personally seen nothing that would track with what you're saying.

Not saying none of this happened, but I'm definitely leaning towards "you're making sh*t up" POV here.



Well if you didn't hear about it then it must not be true....LMAO
Understandable that not everyone knows about the arrest, but you have to live under a rock to not know about the vandalism. Just like the comments from the head of both schools this year telling the students to tame it down... (where do you think that came from????)
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2025 13:05     Subject: Re:Has anyone been unhappy with Gonzaga?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:A friend’s son goes there and I have heard some negative things about the “cult” like atmosphere at GZ. Most parents are “all in” and actively shower the school with nothing but praise and love. A sense of superiority is cultivated in students from day one. Some spin this as creating a strong brotherhood, but for others it is a bit much. There are parents who want a strong Catholic education for their sons but who don’t want to drink the kool aid. I’ve also heard about horrible sportsmanship shown by some of GZ’s teams, which is not embraced by all parents.



Last year a Gonzaga boy was arrested with brass knuckles and a pellet gun on his way to a SJC football game. Every year the students vandalize other schools in the name of "school spirit"


I've been to multiple lacrosse and football games, both home and away, over the past four years and have heard nothing about GZ students acting out and/or vandalizing host schools, nor have my sons mentioned anything, nor have we parents gotten communications from the school regarding behavior at sports events. I've attended double digit events in small stadiums where obnoxious behavior would've been noticed easily and I've personally seen nothing that would track with what you're saying.

Not saying none of this happened, but I'm definitely leaning towards "you're making sh*t up" POV here.
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2025 11:44     Subject: Re:Has anyone been unhappy with Gonzaga?
Anonymous wrote:A friend’s son goes there and I have heard some negative things about the “cult” like atmosphere at GZ. Most parents are “all in” and actively shower the school with nothing but praise and love. A sense of superiority is cultivated in students from day one. Some spin this as creating a strong brotherhood, but for others it is a bit much. There are parents who want a strong Catholic education for their sons but who don’t want to drink the kool aid. I’ve also heard about horrible sportsmanship shown by some of GZ’s teams, which is not embraced by all parents.



Last year a Gonzaga boy was arrested with brass knuckles and a pellet gun on his way to a SJC football game. Every year the students vandalize other schools in the name of "school spirit"
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2025 11:44     Subject: Has anyone been unhappy with Gonzaga?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I live in Arlington and know of a kid who came from public school, stayed a year then left. I assume it wasn’t for him. I think if you don’t know a bunch of guys already going there and you don’t play a sport, it’s tough to fit in.


I also know a kid who left GZ to go to a more traditional co-ed school. Whether the main push to leave was social, academic, financial, or a combo, I’m not sure. The family said that their son wanted a school with a bigger mix of students. Everyone thrives in different surroundings!


Years ago, as part of a larger conversation I asked the Gonzaga Admissions Director when boys left Gonzaga what was the most common reason they gave.

"Girls" he said, "They wanted to be in a co-ed environment or where a particular girl went to school."

My son, who is a GZA grad, never quite bought into the intense enthusiasm that pervades the place. But would like his son to go there.

Anonymous
Post 12/09/2025 11:09     Subject: Has anyone been unhappy with Gonzaga?
Anonymous wrote:I live in Arlington and know of a kid who came from public school, stayed a year then left. I assume it wasn’t for him. I think if you don’t know a bunch of guys already going there and you don’t play a sport, it’s tough to fit in.


I also know a kid who left GZ to go to a more traditional co-ed school. Whether the main push to leave was social, academic, financial, or a combo, I’m not sure. The family said that their son wanted a school with a bigger mix of students. Everyone thrives in different surroundings!
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2025 11:03     Subject: Has anyone been unhappy with Gonzaga?
The biggest question to ask and consider seriously is single sex vs. co-ed and where your son will thrive over four years.

I hated it; my brothers loved it. Same parents, house, etc. Above all that matters.
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2025 09:34     Subject: Has anyone been unhappy with Gonzaga?
Son absolutely loves it, he bleeds purple. As parents we like it fine, feels like a good choice for our kid since he loves it so much, but not always helpful with accommodations, some rigid grading, and commute is far - blessing and a curse. Kid is amazing with public transportation and is comfortable with a city campus, makes it hard as parents to get to events at the school from where we live.
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2025 08:53     Subject: Re:Has anyone been unhappy with Gonzaga?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The commute sucks. Everything else makes it worthwhile.


Depends where you live. We live up the street.


You're so lucky. My son commuted from Alexandria. He never complained though; he loved driving to G his junior and senior yr.
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2025 08:53     Subject: Has anyone been unhappy with Gonzaga?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Gonzaga boys can’t host parties at their houses in Vienna and Arlington so they try to storm other school’s parties in Bethesda and DC.


Why?


My son was friends with boys all over the DMV and went to parties in Arlingotn, Bethesda, DC and Chevy Chase. I'm not understanding this comment.


Ha that's like a 5 mile radius.
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2025 08:51     Subject: Re:Has anyone been unhappy with Gonzaga?
Anonymous wrote:The commute sucks. Everything else makes it worthwhile.


Depends where you live. We live up the street.
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2025 08:50     Subject: Has anyone been unhappy with Gonzaga?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The neighborhood around the school isn’t great

But great for service opportunities.


This.This. This.

Ms. Murphy's social justice class changed my son. He experienced sadness and a broken system but arrived at the end with humility, more humble and a desire to make a difference as an adult in the large world in front of him. He walked the streets of DC to feed the homeless and assisted in the homeless shelter (in the basement of St. Als). How many boys get to witness daily this level of kindness from a community? I know this all starts in the home but young men can be deterred by so many factors but Gonzaga leveled up.